


Take a Chance

by attraversiamo19



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Humor, Karaoke, M/M, Nonbinary Hange Zoë
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-03 07:31:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14564082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attraversiamo19/pseuds/attraversiamo19
Summary: Karaoke bars and college kids?  Levi is too old for this shit.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ummm so basically I love karaoke, and I know how much Levi would NOT love karaoke. So naturally I had to make this happen.

“No.”

“But Leviiii,” Hanji pleads. 

“Absolutely not.” Levi glares. 

Hanji is not even remotely fazed by his glares anymore.

“But it’ll be such a great opportunity for you to meet new people! Maybe even someone special--”

“A loud-ass karaoke bar filled with a bunch of drunk college kids hardly sounds like a place to meet someone special,” Levi says, rotating his swivel chair back to his computer screen in an attempt to end the conversation. “Besides, I don’t sing.”

“You don’t have to sing! You can just have a few drinks and hang out with me and Mike. It’ll be fun! A bunch of the new interns are going--” 

Levi turns his head and grimaces. “Didn’t I just say that drunk college kids are the least appealing part of this plan?”

Hanji sighs dramatically and leans down on the top of the cubicle divider, resting their chin atop their crossed arms. 

Levi’s not sure if it was a blessing or a curse that Hanji happened to be assigned to the cubicle next to him a few years ago, but they sure keep it interesting around here. Working in e-commerce can get very dull, but at least Levi doesn’t have to interact with people face to face all day. Because fuck that.

“You’re hopeless, you know that?” Hanji says, peering down at him through their glasses.

Levi scoffs. “I’m just saying that karaoke is the last fucking thing I want to do on a Friday night.”

Going out to a loud bar and spending his evening with a bunch of people he doesn’t know - doesn’t want to know - sounds so fucking awful.

“And I’m just saying that all work and no play makes Levi a dull boy.” .

“Hanji. I will not go to karaoke with you tonight. Drop it.” 

 

 

“Levi! I’m so glad you came to karaoke!” Hanji shrieks and wraps their arms around him from behind. Mike chuckles and gives him a commiserating smile before taking a small sip of his whiskey. 

Levi shrugs Hanji off of him with a grunt. 

This is such bullshit.

He should have known better than to accept a ride home from Hanji today instead of walking, but his ankle had been killing him. When Hanji had taken a wrong turn, Levi had realized his mistake and immediately protested, even threatening to jump out of the moving vehicle. Hanji had just flipped on the fucking child lock. 

So yes, Levi did come to karaoke tonight. But against his will. He had been kidnapped. 

He’s a bitter old man. Bitter, and thirsty.

“Oh calm down,” Hanji chides. “Enjoy yourself. Here.” They pick up his drink from the table and place it in his hand. “Drink.”

At least this place has decent whiskey. His tolerance to alcohol has always been so high that getting a decent buzz is fucking expensive. But if that’s the price to pay for quality, he’ll go with it.

“Is this your first time here?” Mike asks from the chair next to him. Whiskey droplets glisten in his mustache. Ridiculous. Like this whole night probably will be.

“What is that, your best line?” Levi rolls his eyes, but there’s a small smile forming on his lips. 

Mike laughs. “I’m serious though, have you been here before? It’s a really interesting place. You should walk around - it’s like a museum.”

It’s easy to see how Bones got its name. There are animal skeletons everywhere - he can make out a raccoon and a big cat of some kind displayed up above the bar amongst a bunch of miscellaneous liquor bottles. Suspended over the center of the room is the skeleton of a large crocodile, and the stage is flanked by the bones of two large birds with their wings spread. 

Upon their arrival, Levi had gravitated toward a table in the back, but Hanji had physically dragged him to their spot, a table about ten feet from the stage.

Levi nods over at Mike. “I haven’t been before, but I like it. It’s dark and morbid.”

“Like your soul,” Hanji interjects. 

Levi sighs and takes another drink. 

“Are you singing tonight?” Mike asks him. 

“Fuck no. I wouldn’t be here at all if not for this one.” He jerks a thumb at Hanji. “Forcibly kidnapped me.”

“Oh relax Levi. I’m singing. I already put two songs in the queue,” Hanji says.

“Good for you,” Levi drawls.

He leans back in his chair and takes a deep breath. The music is too goddamn loud in here and the current performers, if you can call them that, are several drunk girls singing “It’s Raining Men.” Singing poorly, he might add. And not even attempting harmony. Maybe ten years ago this would have been entertaining, but now?

He’s too old for this shit.

 

 

This is one of those karaoke bars where the lyrics don’t face the crowd, so songs are always a surprise. Hanji had of course refused to reveal what any of their song choices had been - “Oh you’ll know them, don’t worry” - but the 80s synth pop opening of their first one is easily recognizable. Levi laughs. Typical Hanji.

“ _It’s poetry in motion, she turned her tender eyes to me,_ ” Hanji sings into the microphone. 

Several young people from a few tables away cheer and raise their glasses, stealing Levi’s attention for the moment. It’s group of college-aged kids, and judging by the number of empty glasses littering their table, they’ve been here for awhile and are probably feeling pretty good right about now. One of the guys - brunette with a messy ponytail - meets his eyes and smiles brightly.

“ _She blinded me with science!_ ” Hanji perfectly mimics the mad scientist voice from the original, and Levi’s attention is pulled back up to the stage. He downs the rest of his drink in one gulp and looks over at Mike, holding up the empty glass and raising an eyebrow in question.

“Sure, I’ll have another. Thanks.” Mike smiles, handing his empty glass to Levi before directing his attention back to Hanji, who is now gesticulating wildly on stage. At least they’re having a good time tonight.

Levi heads to the bar and sets down the two empties on the counter. The bartender catches his eye and makes her way over. 

“What can I get for ya? PBR tall boys are two bucks until midnight,” she offers, tucking a section of her long blonde hair behind her ear. If this place wasn’t already a hipster bar, it definitely is now.

Levi flinches and shakes his head, “No PBR, fuck.”

She laughs cheerfully as she wipes away condensation and spilled beer off the counter. “You look like more of a scotch guy, actually.”

“Close. Two Westlands, on the rocks please.”

“Oh, nice!” She turns to scan the shelf behind her. 

There’s a tap on his left shoulder, and Levi turns to see a tall kid standing next to him, intense green-blue eyes open wide in expectation. 

“Excuse me?” Levi says, perplexed. 

“I said, what’s Westland?” The kid hollers over the music. He leans forward to rest his elbows on the counter and his chin on his interlaced fingers, peering up at Levi through the hair that escaped from his messy bun of brown hair.

Oh god, seriously? Not tonight. He is too fucking old for this shit.

This is the kid who smiled at him from a distance earlier, he’s pretty sure. He’s not bad looking. Levi looks him up and down. His olive green long-sleeved henley lies open at the neck revealing his collarbones, and it’s just form-fitting enough to show that he’s quite fit. 

Okay so, he’s actually pretty fucking good looking.

But he’s like eighteen years old. Probably here with a fake ID. No wonder he has no clue about Levi’s drink of choice.

Levi scoffs. “It’s whiskey.” 

The bartender sets down two napkins on the counter before placing Levi’s two drinks on top of them. “Do you have a tab?” 

Levi nods. “Ackerman.”

She nods back, then notices the kid hunched down on the bar next to Levi, “Oh, hey Eren!” 

The guy - Eren, apparently - takes a look at Levi’s drinks, then straightens back up and smiles at her. “Hey Historia, how’s it going?” 

“Busy!” she chirps. “Do you guys need another round?”

Eren nods, “Yeah that would be great, thanks!” 

Then he turns back to Levi and purses his lips. “I take it you’re not here alone then?” 

Levi’s brow furrows. 

Eren’s eyes flick down to the drinks in front of Levi. “Two drinks. Either you’ve got a date or you’re double fisting whiskey.” Eren grimaces, then laughs. 

Levi actually cracks a small smile at this. This kid might be trying too hard, but he’s not stupid, and he’s really fucking cute. Levi hasn’t been hit on in awhile. Hasn’t really put himself in a position to be hit on at all, really. He can’t bring himself to blow him off outright.

Levi nods over toward his table where Hanji has just returned from their song to a huge high five from Mike. “I’m here with some friends from work.”

Eren squints over at the table, then his eyes open wide. “You’re here with Hanji?” 

“Yes?” God, this kid is excitable. 

“Hanji is amazing! They’re the person who told us about this place!” 

Levi frowns. Eren’s using correct pronouns and everything. “How do you know Hanji?”

“They taught the orientation class this week at my new internship. That’s why we’re all here tonight - to celebrate our first week.”

Okay then. So Eren is one of the new interns. That makes him a college graduate, definitely at least 21, so no fake ID.

Still. He’s far too young. Especially if he learns Levi’s age.

Historia sets a PBR tallboy down in front of Eren. “I’ll take the rest to the table,” she smiles sweetly and heads off with a tray.

Levi snorts and gives Eren an amused look. “Really? PBR?”

Eren shrugs and grins sheepishly. Ugh. He’s really fucking attractive. “Hey, I’m a recent college graduate who just started an unpaid internship, what do you expect? I’m Eren, by the way.” He extends his hand.

Levi takes it, pumping three times. “I gathered. Name’s Levi.”

“Great to meet you Levi.” Eren keeps strong eye contact, which Levi maintains. Then Eren licks his lips. 

And Levi needs to make an exit. Now. 

He drops Eren’s hand. “Have fun celebrating with your friends, Eren.” 

Eren’s face falls. “Wait, so you work at Sina too? Is that how you know Hanji?”

Do not engage further.

“Yep,” is all Levi says, picking up the two drinks on the counter and starting to head off toward his table, leaving Eren staring after him.


	2. Chapter 2

The two interns currently doing a rendition of “You’re the One That I Want” from Grease up on the big karaoke stage are truly something else. The girl’s ponytail whips around furiously as she shimmies back and forth, while the guy, who’s got a shaved head and very enthusiastic eyebrows, clearly thinks pelvic thrusting is the only appropriate form of dance accompaniment for this song.

“I see you met Eren.” Hanji leans forward to speak into Levi’s ear over the wanna-be greasers. 

“Yeah. Little shit was hitting on me at the bar.” 

Hanji smiles broadly. “Good. I thought he might be your type.” 

Levi rolls his eyes and relaxes back in his chair, looking over at the table of interns. Eren is staring at him, but when he catches Levi looking, he jerks his head away immediately to say something to the girl next to him.

“He’s a child, Hanji.” Levi sighs.

“He’s twenty-two!”

Levi glares at her. Again, no effect. “And I’m thirty-five.”

Hanji extends her arms in a shrug. “And? Your point is?”

Levi stares at her, face completely blank, then he takes a drink. He’s not nearly buzzed enough to put up with Hanji’s matchmaking.

“You’re only as old as you feel, Levi.” Hanji tuts at him. “Besides, he’s a smart cookie. Picked up the training quickly. Perceptive guy. Funny too.”

Levi pinches the bridge of his nose. The lights in this place are giving him a headache with their incessant strobing and brightly colored LED projections zooming all over the place. Or it could be the loud music.

Or it could be Hanji.

The current song fades out to thunderous applause and cheering from the whole bar, and the two goofballs on stage make exaggerated bows before handing off their mics and stumbling back down to their table. 

The DJ for the night starts talking. “Alright folks, let’s hear it again for Connie and Sasha!” Again, wild screaming. Levi takes another drink. “Next up we’ve got Gene! Gene, get on up here!”

“It’s Jean!” a guy hollers, standing up from the intern table and making his way toward the stage. He’s also stumbling a bit, but he makes it without falling.

Hanji laughs beside Levi. “Hey! I’ve got a great idea!”

This does not bode well.

“Mike!” Hanji calls. “Let’s scootch this table together with the interns’ table. It’s silly to be separated from each other. We should be getting to know them better.” Hanji casts a meaningful look at Levi, who doesn’t even glare back because what’s the point, honestly?

Mike shrugs and stands up to get the job done. He’s a man of few words and he knows, just like Levi, that any efforts at arguing with Hanji are usually futile. 

Hanji rushes over to the table of interns and speaks with the blonde kid sitting next to Eren. Eren listens to their conversation with interest and then glances over to Levi and smiles. 

The blonde kid enthusiastically begins to direct the operation on his end. All the interns move their chairs so Mike is able to push their tables together, and Levi begrudgingly grabs his drink and gets up to drag his own chair over to join the new arrangement. 

“Right here, Levi,” Hanji points to an empty spot near where the two tables are joined. 

An empty spot that conveniently happens to be right next to Eren.

“Really subtle, Hanji,” Levi mutters under his breath before pulling his chair to a stop and sinking down into it. Mike plants himself next to Levi, with Hanji on the far side of their table.

“We meet again.” Eren grins at him.

Levi gives him a nod and then turns his gaze back over at the stage where the guy named Jean - not Gene - has grabbed the mic. The guitar riff starts up, and what is this, fucking 80’s night?

Jean plays the air guitar to the intro and Eren huffs beside Levi. “Seriously?”

“ _Darling you’ve got to let me know, should I stay or should I go_ ,” Jean begins.

Levi looks back over at Eren, who has leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at the man on the stage. “Ex-boyfriend?” Levi asks. Not that he’s interested or anything.

Eren looks at Levi in disbelief. “Oh fuck no. Jean’s been trying to get with my sister for the past month. He’s such a smarmy asshole.”

“And how does your sister feel about that?” Levi asks.

The girl sitting next to Eren leans over now, long hair pooling at her neck where a red scarf is wrapped tightly. “She’s enjoying making him sweat at the moment,” she says, eyes crinkling in amusement. 

“Ah, hence the song choice.” Levi nods. 

The girl laughs, “Yeah, probably. I’m Mikasa.” She extends her hand just as Eren had before. 

Levi takes her hand. “Levi.”

Siblings? These two look nothing alike. Mikasa looks almost Asian with light skin, dark hair and steely gray eyes, while Eren has an attractive tan and those wide green eyes that keep catching Levi’s gaze.

“Yeah, we look nothing alike,” Eren clarifies before Levi can voice his question. Hanji was right, he is perceptive. “My parents adopted Mikasa when we were both nine.”

“Long story.” Mikasa shrugs. 

“ _Should I stay or should I go now?_ ” Jean asks from the stage, now jumping around to the wild part of the chorus. He’s definitely looking at Mikasa. And Eren is definitely rolling his eyes.

Mikasa nudges him in the side. “He’s not that bad, Eren.” 

Eren scoffs and takes a long swig from his beer. His disgusting, cheap beer.

That won’t do.

Levi leans over toward Eren and gets a whiff of some sort of cologne. Piney, but not too overpowering. It’s nice. “You know that stuff will kill you. It’s basically piss in a can.”

Almost choking on his drink, Eren sputters, then squeaks out, “We can’t all afford expensive whiskey, Levi.” 

This is probably a bad idea. But he likes this kid. He smiles a lot and he smells nice. And his fucking eyes...

“Then let me buy you a drink.” The words come out before he can stop them.

Eren’s brows draw together in confusion. “Aren’t… aren’t you here with someone?” He gestures to Mike, who’s comfortably slouched back in his chair observing Jean’s antics on stage.

Levi glances over at Mike, then back at Eren, confused. Then he remembers Eren’s comment from before about Levi buying two drinks, and he chuckles. “Do you really think I’d offer to buy you a drink in front of my date?”

Eren’s eyes widen and his cheeks go a bit pink. “Uh, no. I guess not.” He laughs nervously. 

“What do you like?” Levi asks, and there’s a tiny flutter in his belly. 

Eren looks thoughtful. “Something sweet, but not fruity.”

“That’s very specific.” Levi raises an eyebrow.

Eren just shrugs. “Surprise me.”

 

 

 

Eren hums contentedly after his first sip. “This is delicious. What is it?” 

“Disaronno on the rocks with a splash of Sprite,” Levi answers. He’d taken the opportunity at the bar to grab himself another drink, and he’s finally starting to feel a tiny buzz. 

Eren takes another sip. “Fancy. Way better than PBR. Thank you.” He beams at Levi, and Levi can’t help but grin back. This kid is getting under his skin, that’s for sure.

“So how long have you been at Sina?” Eren asks.

Levi thinks for a moment. “It’ll be three years this August.”

“I’m surprised. You don’t strike me as a customer service oriented person,” Eren says.

Levi actually laughs out loud at this, because Eren’s hit the nail right on the head with that observation. “I’m not. People are assholes.”

Eren looks affronted. “I’m not an asshole,” he says.

“That remains to be seen,” Levi grins and quirks his eyebrow.

Eren laughs, but his attention is pulled away as the DJ starts talking into his mic. “Next up folks we’ve got Armin! Give it up for Armin!” 

Eren gives Levi an apologetic look before standing to clap and cheer wildly along with the rest of his table. 

Levi observes him. He’s young and attractive and he’s got his whole life ahead of him. Recent college grad, brand new internship. A good group of friends. 

So what the fuck does he see in Levi? Why did he even approach him in the first place?

Levi’s not stupid. He knows he’s not unattractive, but he’s fucking old. Too boring and miserable. 

Eren’s probably just looking for a fuck anyways. Isn’t that what kids his age are into? A good fuck and see ya later. Levi, on the other hand, is looking for… 

Well, Levi’s not really looking for anything, to be honest. Kind of gave up on that a few years ago. But if he was looking for something, it wouldn’t be just a good fuck. 

Eren looks over then from amongst his friends and grins at him, and apparently Levi isn’t too old for the nervous flutter that smile elicits in his stomach.

He really should just make some excuse to go and get an Uber home. This isn’t his scene. He doesn’t even have a scene. 

Levi pulls his attention away from Eren and looks toward the stage. Armin is nervously taking the microphone from the DJ. He looks like he’s about to cry. Poor kid. 

The place grows quiet, and as the gentle piano and harmonica intro gets going, Levi breathes a sigh of relief that this kid has chosen a song NOT from the 80s. 

“ _It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday, the regular crowd shuffles in_ ,” Armin starts, voice wavering. 

“Yeah Armin, you’ve got this!” Eren whoops. 

Armin gulps and gives a pinched smile. “ _There’s an old man sitting next to me, making love to his tonic and gin_ ,” he continues, a bit stronger now. 

Eren sits back down and leans over to Levi, pointing at Armin. “Watch this. Seriously. Armin is incredible, he just gets so fucking nervous.”

“Are the two of you close?” Levi asks, eager for light conversation if it distracts him from that piney smell radiating off of Eren.

“Oh yeah, I’ve known Armin my whole life. Me and Mikasa used to beat up the kids who bullied him in elementary school.” Eren gives him a mischievous smile. 

So he’s cute, perceptive, and loyal to his friends. Levi’s mouth is dry, despite the drink in his hand. He swallows roughly and nods. “Good thing you were around then,” he manages, leaning back to put some space between the two of them.

“ _Sing us the song, you’re the piano man,_ ” Armin croons into the microphone. He’s relaxed a lot and Eren was right, he’s an excellent singer. Levi looks pointedly at Armin on stage and not at Eren.

Eren finishes the last of his drink and places the glass gently on the table, and pokes Levi in the side. “You okay?”

Levi nods and deflects the question. “What did you study in school?”

Eren quirks an eyebrow at him, but thankfully, he accepts the subject change. “Psychology. Minored in gender studies.”

Well, psychology might explain why he’s so perceptive. But it doesn’t explain how the hell he ended up at Sina. “And you took an internship in e-commerce?”

Shrugging, Eren says, “Honestly, I have no idea what I want to do with my life. All of my friends were applying for the program so I thought, what the hell? It’s something to do while I figure out what my passion is.”

“You’re a smart kid, Eren.” Levi says. “You’ll figure it out.”

Eren leans forward. Closer, closer, definitely into Levi’s personal space now. “Not a kid, Levi.” His voice is low. Sultry, even. The hair on the back of Levi’s neck tingles and his heart thumps loudly in his chest and ears. 

He pulls back quickly, and Eren’s shoulders drop. 

He really should stop encouraging this. He’s not interested in a one night stand, and he’s certain Eren’s not interested in anything more than that. Not that Levi is either. 

“Eren, do you know how old I am?”

Eren looks at him like he’s crazy. “Does it matter?”

“I’m thirty-five,” Levi says, searching for the flicker of disgust on Eren’s face he knows is coming. Any second now.

But Eren looks him up and down, disbelief written on his face. “Okay one, I don’t believe that for a second. And two, what’s your point?”

Levi scoffs. “You sound like Hanji. And believe it.” He looks down into his drink, avoiding Eren’s gaze still sweeping over his body.

“I don’t see why age matters. I like you. You’re interesting,” Eren says matter-of-factly.

“You don’t even know me,” Levi snaps, quite a bit harsher than he had intended. It’s really fucking loud in here. 

Eren flinches and swallows hard, meeting Levi’s eyes. “Maybe not, but I’d like to get to know you better,” he says, gently biting his lip. He looks like a sad puppy.

Levi shouldn’t have encouraged this at all. Should’ve told Hanji to fuck off with the “moving the tables together” scheme. Shouldn’t even be here tonight at all. Goddamnit Hanji.

He closes his eyes against the strobe lights’ rapid-fire pulses, and he is hyper-aware of blood pounding in his ears as his heart rate speeds up. 

When Levi opens his eyes again, Eren is looking at him with eyebrows drawn together. “Are you sure you’re okay?” 

Let’s see. Loud-ass karaoke bar, bright lights, drunk college kids: As much as he hates all that shit, he can deal with it if he has to. What he can’t deal with is Eren, with his bright eyes and his nice smell and the way he’s actually looking at him with concern as if he’s genuinely interested in how Levi’s feeling.

He really needs to get some air. 

Levi stands up abruptly and finds Hanji’s eyes in the crowd. They give him a concerned look and he jerks his head toward the front door. Hanji nods, understanding. Sometimes Levi just needs a minute.

“I’ll be back,” Levi mutters, not really caring if Eren hears him or not. He needs to get the hell out of this place.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [Shades_of_Cool](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shades_0f_Cool/pseuds/Shades_0f_Cool) and [thisgirlsays22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisgirlsays22/pseuds/thisgirlsays22) for reading through this before posting!
> 
>  
> 
> You can also find me on [tumblr](https://attraversiamo19.tumblr.com). Come find me and scream about snk. :)


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